Posts Tagged ‘carbon emissions’

The twin challenge of poverty eradication and emissions reductions.

In developing countries, where most of the world’s population lives, the daunting challenge for governments and policy makers is to reduce both poverty and greenhouse gas emissions. Professor Harald Winkler from the University of Cape Town’s Energy Research Centre will offer his perspective on how this challenge might be tackled in South Africa, a country that, like Australia, has a heavy dependence on coal-based electricity generation. Prof Winkler argues that taking more ambitious action to reduce emissions can result in socio-economic advantages, or ‘co-benefits’, which should be considered primary rather than secondary benefits.

Professor Winkler will be joined by panellists, Tony Wood and Malte Meinshausen, to discuss the Australian parallels to South Africa’s experience.

What can I do right now, an initiative of Carbon Down, provides a selection of quick, easy to implement and practical carbon reducing options to businesses. The initiative supports existing motivation from SMEs who want to take action, but may not know where to start, or who to trust. Research shows many businesses would like to reduce their carbon footprint, but feel like they don’t have the time or resources. Carbon Down saw the opportunity to create a resource to meet these needs and offer support.

With statistics from VECCI’s Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviours report identifying that 60% of businesses surveyed would use to internet to find out more about sustainability, What can I do right now encourages the increased use of online communications. Join the sustainability conversation, and expand your network by visiting What can I do right now on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

What can I do right now allows users to sign up to a monthly email newsletter, providing ongoing support, offering hints and tips, as well as helping to maintain motivation and focus on practical actions.

Last year the business arm of Zero Carbon Moreland (ZCM) ran a range of successful environmental programs in collaboration with some of Moreland’s flagship organisations including RMIT and Yarra Trams. This year, Moreland Energy Foundation Ltd (MEFL) is putting the focus on small business and community organisations. Over 50 local businesses have already signed up to reduce their carbon emissions and we’re looking to recruit more. If you own a business in the Moreland area now is the time to take action, sign up and receive support to reduce your emissions and save money.

Check out the case studies of some current ZCM businesses. For more information and to join the ZCM business program contact Jason Cox on 9385 8585 or email jason@mefl.com.au

This tool will make it easier to calculate your carbon footprint and to create your own, personal action plan online. Many Zero Carbon Moreland participants have been posting, emailing and phoning in their carbon footprints or calculating them at workshops with their friends and neighbours. If you have done so, thank you! It is vital to the campaign that we have your data before and after you take action.

If you have not submitted your footprint yet, it has just become very easy to do so using the online calculator and action plan. Get online and try it out. The calculator will also provide you with information about the actions you can take, helping you create your own personal action plan – which can be printed out and put on your fridge.

We hope you enjoy it! Feel free to let us know what you think. If you have any problems please contact Jessica or Jenneke on 9385 8517 or info@zcm.org.au.

The Alternative Technology Association and The Australia Institute present: Can emissions trading save the planet?Richard Denniss and Alan Pears will discuss Australia’s looming emissions trading scheme – the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. Theyll look at what emission trading involves, how the proposed cap and trade scheme should work and if it is likely to work. Discover why voluntary contributions like buying greenpower wont contribute to reducing emissions under the proposed scheme. A question and answer session follows the discussion.

We are expecting 200+ conference delegates to attend the conference and 1000+ visitors to the exhibition in Melbourne

Our audience is targeted, but covers a broad cross-section of Australian business (mostly medium-large companies)

Industries that are particularly well represented are financial services, travel and tourism, procurement, property, government, communications and retail. (please click on the link for a breakdown of last years attendees)

Our guest speaker, A/Prof Hugh Outhred of the School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications at UNSW, has been involved in electricity restructuring, energy planning and renewable energy in Australia, since the 1970’s. He will speak about the possibilities for the extensive deployment of wind energy in Australia, as well as address issues such as wind variability and forecasting techniques, the potential difficulties in managing voltage and frequency disturbances and the cost and implications of network integration. Join us for an informed discussion on the future of wind energy in Australia.

Our final short presenter for the Sustainable Cities Round Table on Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation is Aldo Penbrook from Bendigo, Carbon Assessor, Central Vic Carbon Accounting Services. A new industry arising from the climate change crisis, carbon auditors raise many new issues in terms of current not-so-sustainable practices. Find out how someone entering this business sector is approaching their role – check out Aldo’s presentation below!

If you haven’t Calculated your CO2 emissions bring in your gas and electricity bills and we’ll work it out for you

To work out your personal carbon emmissions with the Carbon Equity calculator. The CO2 calculator addresss is: http://www.carbonequity.info/crags/calculator.html You will need your last gas and electricity bill. On the bill will be a years worth of daily energy consumption in the form of a bar graph. Take the average of the bars and multiply by 365 to get your usage figure for the year and enter it into the CO2 calculator.

Note: if you are on Green power there is a section to put in the percentage as written on the bill.